Folding method of far-side airbag apparatus

ABSTRACT

A folding method of a far-side airbag apparatus may include: a first folding step of folding an upper portion of an airbag sheet toward an inboard side; a second folding step of folding both widthwise sides of the airbag sheet toward an outboard side; a third folding step of folding the upper portion of the airbag sheet toward the inboard side; and a fourth folding step of roll-folding the airbag sheet.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Korean application number10-2018-0091776, filed on Aug. 7, 2018, which is incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a folding method of a far-side airbagapparatus, and more particularly, to a folding method of a far-sideairbag apparatus, which can prevent an airbag cushion from interferingwith a driver's body when the airbag cushion is deployed.

In general, a vehicle includes airbags installed to protect a passenger.The airbags are installed at various positions depending on body partsto be protected by the airbags. A far-side airbag is disposed between adriver seat and a passenger seat. When a side-on collision occurs, thefar-side airbag is deployed upward to prevent a collision between adriver and a passenger seated beside the driver. The far-side airbag hasa large size and volume so as to be suppressed from bending toward thepassenger seat when the passenger seat is empty.

However, the far-side airbag according to the related art includes acushion whose bottom is so wide as to constrain the body of the driver.Thus, when the far-side airbag is inboard folded, the far-side airbagmay interfere with the arm and body of the driver while deployed.

Furthermore, when the upper portion of the far-side airbag is foldedonce to avoid the interference with the arm and body or to control thedeployment direction, the size of an airbag package may be increased tomake it difficult to assemble the airbag apparatus.

Therefore, there is a demand for a device capable of solving theproblem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a folding method ofa far-side airbag apparatus, which can prevent an airbag cushion frominterfering with a driver's body when the airbag cushion is deployed.

In one embodiment, a folding method of a far-side airbag apparatus mayinclude: a first folding step of folding an upper portion of an airbagsheet toward an inboard side; a second folding step of folding bothwidthwise sides of the airbag sheet toward an outboard side; a thirdfolding step of folding the upper portion of the airbag sheet toward theinboard side; and a fourth folding step of roll-folding the airbagsheet.

The second folding step may include forming a second folding part byturning over the airbag sheet of which the upper portion is folded andthen folding both sides of the airbag sheet.

The second folding part may be folded toward the outboard side.

In the second folding step, the second folding part formed on one sideof the airbag sheet may have a different widthwise length from thesecond folding part formed on the other side of the airbag sheet.

The third folding step may include forming a third folding part byturning over the airbag sheet turned over in the second folding stepagain and then folding the upper portion of the airbag sheet.

The third folding part may be folded toward the inboard side.

The airbag sheet may be turned over again by bending and rotating theairbag sheet toward the rear of a fixing stud.

The fourth folding step may include roll-folding the airbag sheet towardthe outboard side.

The folding method may further include a tether installation step ofpassing an upper portion of a tether through the airbag sheet and fixingboth sides of the tether to a fixing stud, before the first foldingstep.

In the tether installation step, the tether may be passed throughinactive areas of the airbag sheet, and disposed on the inboard side ofthe airbag sheet via the upper portion of the airbag sheet.

The inactive areas may be formed at the inside and top of the airbagsheet such that the tether is passed through the inactive areas.

In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, since thefolding parts of the airbag sheet are released and expanded toward theoutboard side, the airbag cushion can be prevented from interfering withthe arm and body of a driver, when the airbag cushion is expanded.

Furthermore, since the airbag sheet can be prevented from interferingwith the body of the driver when the airbag sheet is deployed, thedeployment and protection performance of the airbag cushion can besecured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating that a far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention is unfolded.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a process in which the far-sideairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention is deployed.

FIG. 3A is a plan view illustrating that an airbag sheet of the far-sideairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention is unfolded in such a manner that an inboard side of theairbag sheet faces upward.

FIG. 3B is a plan view illustrating that an upper portion of the airbagsheet is folded toward the inboard side in the far-side airbag apparatusin accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3C is a plan view illustrating that the airbag sheet of thefar-side airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention is turned over.

FIG. 4A is a plan view illustrating the ratio of both sides of theairbag sheet, which are folded in the far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a plan view illustrating that both sides of the airbag sheetare folded in the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4C is a plan view illustrating that the airbag sheet is rotatedtoward the rear of a fixing stud after both sides of the airbag sheetare folded in the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a plan view illustrating that the airbag sheet is overlappedby the fixing stud in the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance withthe embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5B to 5D are plan views illustrating a process of roll-folding theairbag sheet toward an outboard side in the far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a front view illustrating that a roll folding part of anairbag cushion is released and deployed in the far-side airbag apparatusin accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6B is a front view illustrating that the roll folding part of theairbag cushion is deployed toward the outboard side in the far-sideairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 6C and 6D are front views illustrating that the airbag cushion isdeployed toward the inboard side in the far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6E is a front view illustrating that the central portion of theairbag cushion is bent in the far-side airbag apparatus in accordancewith the embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Hereafter, a folding method of a far-side airbag apparatus in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that thedrawings are not to precise scale and may be exaggerated in thickness oflines or sizes of components for descriptive convenience and clarityonly. Furthermore, the terms as used herein are defined by takingfunctions of the invention into account and can be changed according tothe custom or intention of users or operators. Therefore, definition ofthe terms should be made according to the overall disclosures set forthherein.

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating that a far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention is unfolded, andFIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a process in which the far-sideairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention is deployed.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the far-side airbag apparatus in accordancewith the embodiment of the present invention may include an airbag sheet20 and a tether 40.

A fixing stud 10 may be connected to the bottom of the airbag sheet 20.The fixing stud 10 may have a stud hole (not illustrated) formedtherein. The edge of the airbag sheet 20 may be sewed by an edge sewingpart 31. When gas is injected into the airbag sheet 20, the airbag sheet20 may be expanded and deployed. The deployed airbag sheet 20 may bereferred to as an airbag cushion 20 a.

Both sides of the tether 40 may be fixed to the fixing stud 10, and anupper portion of the tether 40 may be installed through the airbag sheet20. For example, inactive areas 33 into which gas is not injected may beformed around the center of the airbag sheet 20 and at the top of theairbag sheet 20, respectively, and the tether 40 may be passed throughthe inactive areas 33 and then disposed on the inboard side of theairbag sheet 20 via the upper portion of the airbag sheet 20. The tether40 may pull the top of the airbag cushion 20 a toward the inboard sidewhen the airbag sheet 20 is almost completely deployed, such that theupper portion of the airbag cushion 20 a is bent toward the inboard side(toward a driver D). Therefore, even when no passenger is seated in apassenger seat S2 located on one side of the driver seat S1, the airbagcushion 20 a may be prevented from being bent toward the passenger seatS2.

Hereafter, a folding method of the far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed.

FIG. 3A is a plan view illustrating that the airbag sheet of thefar-side airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention is unfolded in such a manner that the inboard side ofthe airbag sheet faces upward, FIG. 3B is a plan view illustrating thatthe upper portion of the airbag sheet is folded toward the inboard sidein the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment ofthe present invention, FIG. 3C is a plan view illustrating that theairbag sheet of the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention is turned over, FIG. 4A is a planview illustrating the ratio of both sides of the airbag sheet, which arefolded in the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4B is a plan view illustratingthat both sides of the airbag sheet are folded in the far-side airbagapparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 4C is a plan view illustrating that the airbag sheet is rotatedtoward the rear of the fixing stud after both sides of the airbag sheetare folded in the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5A is a plan view illustratingthat the airbag sheet is overlapped by the fixing stud in the far-sideairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIGS. 5B to 5D are plan views illustrating a process ofroll-folding the airbag sheet toward an outboard side in the far-sideairbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIGS. 3A to 5D, the airbag sheet 20 may be evenly spread sothat the inboard side of the airbag sheet 20 faces upward. At this time,both sides (solid line portions of FIG. 1) of the tether 40 may bedisposed on the inboard side of the airbag sheet 20, and an intermediateportion (dotted line portion of FIG. 1) of the tether 40 may be disposedon the outboard side of the upper portion of the airbag sheet 20. Theentire top-to-bottom length of the airbag sheet 20 may be represented byH.

A first folding step of folding the upper portion of the airbag sheet 20toward the inboard side may be performed. At this time, a first foldingpart 21 may be formed by folding the airbag sheet 20 by 30% (0.3 H) ofthe top-to-bottom length of the airbag sheet 20. The first folding part21 may cover the inactive area 33 formed around the center of the airbagsheet 20.

Then, a second folding step of folding both widthwise sides of theairbag sheet 20 toward the outboard side may be performed. In the secondfolding step, a second folding part 22 may be formed by turning over theairbag sheet 20 whose upper portion is folded and then folding bothwidthwise sides of the airbag sheet 20.

In the second folding step, a second folding part 22 a formed on oneside of the airbag sheet 20 and a second folding part 22 b formed on theother side of the airbag sheet 20 may have different widthwise lengths.For example, in the second folding step, an operator may turn over theairbag sheet 20, check a portion at which the widthwise length of theairbag sheet 20 is divided by the ratio of 7:3, fold the second foldingpart 22 a on one side of the airbag sheet 20 such that one end of theairbag sheet 20 is positioned on a virtual line of the airbag sheet 20,which divides the widthwise length of the airbag sheet 20 at the ratioof 7:3, and fold the second folding part 22 a on the other side of theairbag sheet 20 such that that the other end of the airbag sheet 20 ispositioned on the virtual line of the airbag sheet 20. At this time, theentire widthwise length of the airbag sheet 20 may correspond to 60% ofthe initial widthwise length of the airbag sheet 20.

A third folding step of folding the upper portion (where the firstfolding part 21 is formed) of the airbag sheet 20 toward the inboardside may be performed. For example, in the third folding step, theairbag sheet 20 turned over in the second folding step may be turnedover again, and then the upper portion of the airbag sheet 20 may befolded. At this time, when the folded airbag sheet 20 is bent androtated toward the rear of the fixing stud 10 in a state where theposition of the fixing stud 10 is fixed, the airbag sheet 20 may beturned over again. At this time, the first folding part 21 of the airbagsheet 20 may be seen, and the position of the fixing stud 10 may not bechanged. Then, a third folding part 23 of the airbag sheet 20 may beformed by folding the upper portion of the airbag sheet 20 toward theinboard side by 20% (0.2 H) of the entire top-to-bottom length H of theairbag sheet 20.

A fourth folding step of roll-folding the airbag sheet 20 may beperformed. In the fourth folding step, the airbag sheet 20 may beroll-folded toward the outboard side (counterclockwise direction) toform a roll folding part 24. Roll folding may indicate that the airbagsheet 20 is wound like a roll of paper.

The folding method of the far-side airbag apparatus may further includea tether installation step of passing the upper portion of the tether 40through the airbag sheet 20 and fixing both sides of the tether 40 tothe fixing stud 10. The tether 40 may pull the top of the airbag cushion20 a toward the inboard side when the airbag sheet 20 is almostcompletely deployed, thereby bending the upper portion of the airbagcushion 20 a toward the inboard side (toward the driver D).

In the tether installation step, the tether 40 may be passed through theinactive areas 33 of the airbag sheet 20, and disposed on the inboardside of the airbag sheet 20 via the upper portion of the airbag sheet20. Therefore, the lower portion of the tether 40 may be disposed on theinboard side (front in FIG. 1) of the airbag sheet 20, and the upperportion of the tether 40 may be disposed on the outboard side (rear inFIG. 1) of the airbag sheet 20.

The inactive areas 33 may be formed at the inside and top of the airbagsheet 20 such that the tether 40 is passed through the inactive areas33. Since the tether 40 is passed through the inactive areas 33, gasinjected into the airbag sheet 20 can be prevented from leaking to theoutside of the airbag sheet 20.

Hereafter, a deployment process of the far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed. The airbag sheet 20 may be deployed in the opposite order ofthe above-described folding order, as gas is injected.

FIG. 6A is a front view illustrating that the roll folding part of theairbag cushion is released and deployed in the far-side airbag apparatusin accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6B is afront view illustrating that the roll folding part of the airbag cushionis deployed toward the outboard side in the far-side airbag apparatus inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 6C and 6Dare front views illustrating that the airbag cushion is deployed towardthe inboard side in the far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with theembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6E is a front viewillustrating that the central portion of the airbag cushion is bent inthe far-side airbag apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIGS. 6A to 6E, when gas is injected into the airbag sheet20, the roll folding part 24 of the airbag sheet 20 may be released. Atthis time, since the roll folding part 24 was folded toward the outboardside (counterclockwise direction) in the fourth folding step, the rollfolding part 24 may be deployed while the bottom thereof is firstreleased. Therefore, the roll folding part 24 may be released andexpanded toward the outboard side (clockwise direction).

Then, the third folding part 23 folded toward the inboard side may bereleased and expanded. At this time, the third folding part 23 may bereleased and expanded toward the outboard side. Since the third foldingpart 23 is released and expanded toward the outboard side, the thirdfolding part 23 may hardly interfere with the arm and body of a driverwhile deployed.

As gas is injected into the second folding part 22, the second foldingpart 22 may be released and expanded toward the outboard side. Then, asgas is injected into the first folding part 21, the first folding part21 may be released and expanded toward the outboard side. Since thesecond folding part 22 and the first folding part 21 are deployed towardthe outboard side, the airbag cushion 20 a may be obliquely deployedtoward the outboard side (toward a passenger seat S2).

When the airbag cushion 20 a is further deployed, the tether 40 may pullthe top of the airbag cushion 20 a toward the driver D. Thus, the upperportion of the airbag cushion 20 a may face the head of the driver D.Furthermore, since the inactive area 33 which is not expanded is formedaround the central portion of the airbag cushion 20 a, the centralportion of the airbag cushion 20 a may be bent as the tether 40 pullsthe top of the airbag cushion 20 a. Therefore, as the central portion ofthe airbag cushion 20 a is bent, a shoulder receiving part (notillustrated) for the driver D may be concavely formed.

The upper and lower portions of the airbag cushion 20 a may have a muchlarger expansion thickness than the central portion thereof. Therefore,the lower portion of the airbag cushion 20 a may be sufficientlyexpanded to support the waist of the driver D, and the upper portion ofthe airbag cushion 20 a may be positioned closer to the head of thedriver D.

Since the first folding part 21, the second folding part 22 and the rollfolding part 24 are all released and expanded toward the outboard side,the airbag cushion 20 a may be prevented from interfering with the armand body of the driver D when the airbag cushion 20 a is deployed.Furthermore, the internal structure can be simplified, and the weight ofthe airbag apparatus can be reduced.

Since the airbag sheet 20 can be prevented from interfering with thebody of the driver when the airbag sheet 20 is deployed, the deploymentand protection performance of the airbag cushion 20 a can be secured.

Since the airbag cushion 20 a is bent through the inactive areas 33 andthe tether 40, the structure of the airbag cushion 20 a can besimplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed forillustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in theaccompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A folding method of a far-side airbag apparatus,comprising: a first folding step of folding an upper portion of anairbag sheet toward an inboard side; a second folding step of foldingboth widthwise sides of the airbag sheet toward an outboard side; athird folding step of folding the upper portion of the airbag sheettoward the inboard side; and a fourth folding step of roll-folding theairbag sheet.
 2. The folding method of claim 1, wherein the secondfolding step comprises forming a second folding part by turning over theairbag sheet of which the upper portion is folded and then folding bothsides of the airbag sheet.
 3. The folding method of claim 2, wherein thesecond folding part is folded toward the outboard side.
 4. The foldingmethod of claim 3, wherein in the second folding step, the secondfolding part formed on one side of the airbag sheet has a differentwidthwise length from the second folding part formed on the other sideof the airbag sheet.
 5. The folding method of claim 2, wherein the thirdfolding step comprises forming a third folding part by turning over theairbag sheet turned over in the second folding step again and thenfolding the upper portion of the airbag sheet.
 6. The folding method ofclaim 5, wherein the third folding part is folded toward the inboardside.
 7. The folding method of claim 6, wherein the airbag sheet isturned over again by bending and rotating the airbag sheet toward therear of a fixing stud.
 8. The folding method of claim 1, wherein thefourth folding step comprises roll-folding the airbag sheet toward theoutboard side.
 9. The folding method of claim 1, further comprising atether installation step of passing an upper portion of a tether throughthe airbag sheet and fixing both sides of the tether to a fixing stud,before the first folding step.
 10. The folding method of claim 9,wherein in the tether installation step, the tether is passed throughinactive areas of the airbag sheet, and disposed on the inboard side ofthe airbag sheet via the upper portion of the airbag sheet.
 11. Thefolding method of claim 10, wherein the inactive areas are formed at theinside and top of the airbag sheet such that the tether is passedthrough the inactive areas.